Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Drops Perfect Reply to Michael Jordan Comparison
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped the perfect reply when asked about comparisons to basketball icon Michael Jordan.
The NBA returns on Tuesday with last season's champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, taking on the Houston Rockets.
Once again, the Thunder enter the campaign as title favourites, although the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets cannot be ruled out.
A major reason for the lofty expectations on the Thunder is last year's MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, who has now been consistently excellent for several seasons.
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The Canadian has been an All-Star for the past three seasons, and last year, he led the league with an impressive 32.7 points per game, securing both the NBA MVP and the Finals MVP.
It has prompted comparisons with one of the sport's greatest ever players, Jordan.
The Chicago Bulls star won a three-peat between 1991 and 1993, then briefly retired, before he returned to claim another three-peat from 1996 to 1998.
Last year, Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the comparisons to Jordan.
He said: "It's an honour.
"To be in those conversations, if I'm even in them, is why you play the game and what you dream about as a kid. It's an honour.
"Obviously I have a long way to go before I get to even be in the same conversation as him but it's an honour."
Who is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
The 27-year-old Canadian was originally drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2018, before he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
In July 2019, he joined Oklahoma City, where he has established himself as one of the league's best players.
Last year, Gilgeous-Alexander became just the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring title in the same season.
In July, he signed a massive $285 million contract extension with the Thunder, keeping him on the roster until 2031.
It is reportedly the biggest single-season average salary in the league's history.
Tuesday night's game will be particularly special, as Gilgeous-Alexander receives his fist ring.
Ahead of the game, he said: “I can’t wait. Just to have the official piece of hardware I dreamed about for so many years in my childhood and growing up.
"Should be fun tomorrow."
Despite his ambitions on the court, he has been clear that family is his priority.
He told GQ's senior style editor, Yang-Yi Goh: "I won’t want to miss that much of my kid’s life.
"I won’t want to be away and miss his first basketball game every year, his first soccer game, football game, piano lesson, chess lesson, whatever it is.
"And there’s a certain point in your career where you reach your peak. I don’t fault guys for still playing.
"They love the game. But I just feel like I play this game, ultimately, to see what the best version of me can be."
Topics: NBA, Michael Jordan, Basketball
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